In
Catalonia the only regrets are the Brazilian did not go sooner and could come back but his treatment has been cruel at times
The most significant goals Philippe Coutinho scored as a
Barcelona player were against them, which pretty much sums it up. On loan at Bayern Munich, where he had his most successful season since leaving
Liverpool for €160m, he got two in the 8-2 humiliation of the club that owned him then and despite all their efforts to the contrary still own him now. That night in August 2020 he raised a hand to apologise for what he had done. Seventeen months later, he has left again. As for what he has done, most supporters would say: “Nothing much.”
The only thing anyone in Catalonia regrets about Coutinho’s departure to Aston Villa this week is that it took too long. Actually, that’s not entirely true: they also regret that there will be no return, except his. At the end of the season, he will probably be back. At which point, they will try to get him to leave again. It was hard enough to bring him in; it proved equally hard to move him out. He has gone only on loan, Villa – who are at home to
Manchester United on Saturday – paying 65% of his salary, but at least he has gone. The most expensive signing in Barcelona’s history may have been the worst.